Gringo : Touristic Information
Drinking.
by Michael Thomas
Drinking in Tijuana is a famous old custom that got married to gambling a hundred years ago and had a honeymoon during the roaring twenties. Their children shacked up together in World War II and Vietnam. The grandchildren study sociology and remark that cantina culture has deep roots in Mexico. Here on the frontier, as across much of the west, the cantina came up against the public saloon culture of Anglo-America, and the twin words "bar" and "cantina" who were ostensibly separated at birth now exist perfectly well in both Spanish and English worlds. You will find both used interchangeably in common speech, writing, advertising and on signs. In addition, there is also, in Spanish, the word "barra" which refers to the physical serving "bar" itself, like the counter, you know? Belly up to the bar, boys & girls! Ah... a nice cold one....
It would be impossible to make a fair list in five minutes reading of all the new and old cantinas and bars and nightclubs around Tijuana -- even to tell you names about Revolution Avenue would be more than you want to read but we have been to a few and talked about others with people we know here -- alas, the original Ballena, the world's longest bar, has been gone for some decades now -- that one in Dano's poem is a later invention -- but believe it or not yes there are historic bars and cantinas some with many years of serving, others completely new, and a lot for the 19-year-olds, and more strictly neighborhood ones, and some few very touristic, all sorts gay and straight and rich and poor and middle class and mixed and classy and cheap and all. Write us we'll sell you their names just not kidding.
Mexicans love to party and enjoy going out and Tijuana is no exception to this festive rule of life. Alcohol is legally available to anyone 18 or over. (Except usually NOT after 2 a.m. or on election day.)
The people drink beer and hard spirits (especially tequila, brandy and mezcal) and some wine. Mexico produces several fine beers in light and dark, from pilsner to stout (sounds like we even know what we're talking about -- heh heh). Depending on your taste, they are all good. Some are excellent.
The large liter beer bottles are called "ballenas" (whales) most probably because of their size, but Pacifico brand has a whale on their lable and their advertising makes much of this double meaning -- big bottles spouting in the sea, etc. HOWEVER, Tecate brand big bottles get called "caguamas" (sea-turtle). Most places charge more than a dollar -- probably two or three dollars for any size beer. There are four sizes of bottles: the ballena "whale" or caguama liter, the regular, the half, the small and the baby. Don't tell us we can't count, we're just making this up right now! *Grin* go.